


Behind You

by cantabileChaos



Category: Cowboy Bebop
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Major Character Injury, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-09-08 01:44:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8825248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cantabileChaos/pseuds/cantabileChaos
Summary: When you're dodging all those bullets, remember to check who's standing behind you.





	

Just another small fry bounty. No one even bothered to keep post as they waited for the authorities to pick him up. The reward was nothing special, just a little pocket change. But that’s what made everything feel worse when things went awry. It’s what made everyone feel guilty for letting their guards down. That’s the problem with those guys who kill a few civilians for their wallets and watches- they got nothing to lose.

 

Everything was lagging on as boring as ever. Spike was sprawled out napping, Faye was idly picking at the chipping paint on her nails, Jet was in the process of opening a particularly stubborn package of cup noodles, Ed and Ein were off in the corner living in their own (probably much more exciting) world and the television filled the silent air with static and an infomercial that never seemed to end. Everyone’s senses were just a bit to dulled from the empty time spent waiting for their bounty to be cashed in.

 

By the time the footsteps were close enough for the preoccupied crew to become alerted to the criminal’s presence, they were already staring down the barrel of a smoking gun and shaking the ringing of a warning shot out of their heads. This crook stood no chance, and he knew it. He wasn’t looking to escape and didn’t expect to make it out with his life, he just wanted to make sure that the people who were turning him in would suffer. 

 

Spike had calmly picked himself up off the couch and showed no hesitation in kicking this man’s ass. Faye was at the ready with a gun and a new pair of handcuffs and Jet was only put off for a second before discarding his cup noodles to help put this guy back in his place. The quiet ship was alive with erratic gunshots, none of which laid a scratch on the crew as they pursued the villain. Excited shouts and barks came from the corner as Ed and Ein cheered everyone on in their usual, strange way. 

 

But somehow one of these loose bullets found a path. It happened in an instant, but to everyone watching it felt like everything was in slow motion. Everything went quiet. Everything after that felt like memories swimming through a thick and electric fog. The firing had stopped, as if even the desperate and crazy man knew this was the last nail in his coffin. The shuffling of sparring feet stopped, everyone stood in shock. There was silence, everyone held their gasps. The cheering stopped.

 

Jet had his hand around the bounty’s throat and had him pressed against the wall, face red with anger. Without thinking, Faye shoved in with tears threatening to escape her eyes and beat the man down with the type of ferocity that you would see in a lioness protecting her first litter. The only noise that echoed through the ship now was the sound of fists fracturing bone, and a heartbreaking shriek no one would expect to hear from the outwardly cold-hearted Faye. Jet covered his face with his metal hand to hide something weak inside himself. Spike ran to the corner. There were about five more gunshots, from Faye’s gun. No pocket change was worth what this man did.

 

The three adults all gathered around Edward in a quiet panic. The shocked look on the girl’s face was sobering. Her ever-rosy cheeks went pale. She cautiously placed a hand on her shoulder. 

 

“Edward, don’t panic. You’re going to be okay,” Jet assured, himself in a manner disguised as comforting words for the injured girl. His voice shook in a way that made him regret speaking. Ed didn’t say anything, she just pulled her hand away and examined the dark red blood on her fingers. She had nothing to say, and it scared the three adults. For them a bullet in the shoulder had just become another inconvenience, an occupational hazard. Seeing such an innocent child in their place was a grim reminder of the abuse they had to go to to get to the point where this serious wound was what they considered lucky. 

 

Edward mumbled something in a dreamy sweet voice before slipping out of consciousness and falling forward. Spike gently caught her and felt scared in a way he hadn’t felt before. He didn’t know what to do. He just held the injured girl and looked in shock as blood soaked her strangely pristine white shirt. Faye let out a choked back sob into her hands, showing more compassion than she ever had in her new life. Jet took Ed from Spike with a look of anger on his face to cover up the devastation. 

 

Spike and Faye sat in what would have been complete silence if it weren’t for the occasional sniffle from Faye as she pulled herself together. The only movement was that of Spike dragging their dead bounty away to be dumped in space. Neither looked at one another, the TV had been angrily turned off, neither smoked. No one turned to look at the small splatter of blood on the wall. No one noticed the time that passed before Jet came back.

 

“We need to take her to a real doctor,” He stated solemnly. “I couldn’t live with myself if I screwed up this operation. I stopped the bleeding, but that’s all I trust myself to do.” No one answered. Everyone silently set a course to the nearest hospital, only speaking when necessary. The crew arrived at an overcrowded hospital on Venus, Jet carrying Ed like she weighed next to nothing. Others in the waiting room groaned and complained when the doctors took Ed right away. A nurse approached the three adults after a while, coming to get information about the incident.

 

“Which one of you is the girl’s parent,” The nurse asked first. All three looked up, faces ghostly and worn. Jet was about to stand and put on his heartbroken father act (though it wouldn’t be much of an act this time), but Spike stood up before anyone else could even think up a lie. 

 

“I’m her father. That’s my daughter in there, Edward Spiegel,” He didn’t have time to think of a fake name. “Tell me, is my little girl going to be okay?” Spike’s acting was surprisingly convincing, and Jet found himself staring in disbelief.

 

“She’ll be fine, Mr. Spiegel. The bullet ricocheted upwards before it hit anything vital. We just need to ask a few questions and then you can visit her. The nurse began asking questions and Spike answered as if he been given a script. He played the tearful father role so well, it nearly brought even his own crewmates to tears at times. Which was suitable for the roles Spike gave them of Ed’s aunt and uncle visiting on holiday. Even the parts of the story that didn’t quite add up were overlooked by the nurse who took every opportunity to assure the grieving father that it wasn’t his fault. She finally finished asking questions and led them all to Edward’s room.

 

It wasn’t unusual to see Ed hooked up to a computer, but seeing her so still and quiet was troubling. There was a tube attached to her nose and another one in her arm. Faye got chills. It reminded her of waking up after being unfrozen. There was just a small blood stain on the gown Edward wore, but it was still disturbing to see her hurt. Jet understood why this casualty was so much worse than the other daily mishaps the team went through, but the other two couldn’t understand why it hit them so hard. Especially Spike. It became a little overwhelming, and Spike stepped outside. He left to go smoke out in the alley for a while.

 

“Is it… is it our fault,” Faye gently asked after an eternity, not looking Jet in the eye.

 

“Don’t think about it too much. The important thing is that she’s okay.” Jet’s answer wasn’t very convincing. It was obvious he didn’t want to talk about it, so the two ran out of things to talk about.

 

“I’m going to go find Spike. It won’t look good if the nurse comes back and sees Edward’s ‘dad’ is missing.” Faye lingered for a moment, watching to see if maybe Ed would stir. She didn’t.

 

Faye found Spike outside surrounded by what looked like half a pack of cigarette butts. His brow was permanently furrowed as he stared down at his feet. Faye could see the scene on the ship playing on loop behind his mismatched eyes. He didn’t look up when Faye came to meet him.

 

“You did a good job lying to that nurse’s face,” She quipped, trying to act unbothered. Spike said nothing. “For a second even I believed she was your beloved daughter.” Still nothing. “Did you… did you ever have kids, Spike?” There was only a short pause this time.

 

“No, I can’t stand kids. Why do you ask?” Spike was obviously trying to sound more annoyed than he was.

 

“Just curious. I thought maybe that tear-jerking act you put on in there was inspired by some tragic backstory I didn’t know about.” Faye put her own cigarette in her mouth and Spike lit it without words. Faye looked up at him in surprise. She was even more surprised to see how soft and solemn his expression was. He really was hurting. 

 

“That bullet was meant for me, Faye,” Spike put out another cigarette under his foot.

 

“Spike, don’t-” He cut Faye off.

 

“I’ve played the whole thing over a thousands times in my head. I was right in front of the man, he fired, I dodged and the next thing I know everyone’s watching as Ed’s blood is spilled.” Spike looked down at his feet with an expression that would have looked almost blank on anyone but him.

 

“It all happened so fast. There’s nothing you could have done.” Faye tried to be reassuring, but the truth was a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She had been thinking this whole time that the bullet was meant for her.

 

“I could have stayed put. I could have taken the bullet. Ed did nothing to deserve this.” Faye had no way to counter this argument. It was just one of those things that couldn’t be fixed. There was another long pause, and then suddenly Faye started to laugh which turned into crying.

 

“God damnit, why’d I promise a little kid she could come with us? What kind of person lets a child become a bounty hunter,” Faye was laughing still, but with tears smeared across her face. “I can’t even take care of my own damn self anymore. Sometimes I think maybe it would have just been better if the accident killed me off.” All of this was said in such an uncharacteristically under dramatic way, that it actually shook Spike. 

 

“Don’t talk like that. You’re just beating yourself up because you’re stressed out- we all are. You’re not… a bad person.” Spike meant what he said, but it was pretty hard to say. Faye continued to softly cry and bite her lip.

 

“Haha, just kidding,” She said weakly. “I was just trying to get you to stop feeling bad about yourself.” This was one of Faye’s poorest attempts at lying. The steady stream of tears gave it away. Spike looked on, wanted to do something but not knowing what to do.

 

“Hey, now. We don’t want the first thing Ed sees when she wakes up to be ‘Faye-Faye’ all sad and shit,” Spike teased with an uneasy pat on the shoulder. All of this was so new. He felt scared for Edward, and now Faye was giving him a different kind of scare. He actually felt some sort of affection for the two, but not in any sort of way he felt before. It wasn’t affection like he felt for Julia, it was much different. His heart always belonged to her, but now he had new people in his life; they were people he never meant to get attached to. Both turned as a deep familiar voice rang out.

 

“Honey, are you out there with my brother?” It was Jet, reminding the two that they had an act to keep up. Faye didn’t have to put on any kind of fake grief, but Spike let out a sigh as he got ready to go back in and really ham it up.

 

Fortunately, no one tried to talk to them as they headed back to the hospital room. Ed was stirring, sure to wake up at any moment. Spike kneeled at the side of the bed and whispered something tearful. This time, it wasn’t just acting. Jet and Faye stood on the other side. Faye had both hands clasped at her mouth and Jet had an arm around her. It was an involuntary gesture, but it sure fit the character of “loving uncle and husband who always wanted a daughter of his own” that Spike had created for him. If one didn’t know any better, all they’d see was a loving (albeit a bit strange) family waiting for their daughter/niece to wake up. Maybe because they weren’t all that different from a family, or maybe they were all just that absorbed in their roles.

 

Edward’s eyes drearily opened and she turned her head to look at Jet and Faye. She stared in confusion for a moment before the color returned to her cheeks and she spoke.

 

“Hey, Faye-Faye. Why do you look so sad?” She tried to sit up, but fell back against the propped up pillow and winced. “Ooh, Edward doesn’t feel so good.” Her head turned to Spike who was resting his elbows on the hospital bed and staring with more worry than relief. Ed looked back at him with contemplation in her eyes. She wore an expression which made her look heartbreakingly… normal. It was like the fantasy world she usually lived in had disappeared and she was seeing the bleak white walls of the real world for the first time in Spike’s eyes.

 

“Please don’t look at me like that,” Spike thought to himself. “I can’t be the first person to have let you down.” Ed just kept staring, wheels turning in her unusual mind. Spike looked back with an almost pleading gaze. 

 

“Ed remembers… Spike catching Ed when I fell down after getting hit in the shoulder. Thank you, Spike-person, for not letting Edward hit the ground.” She patted Spike’s fuzzy hair with her good arm, wearing a triumphant closed-eye grin. Spike looked like he had just been struck by lightning, but his shoulders began to bounce slightly. The otherwise quiet hospital room was filled with relieved laughter. Jet and Faye watched in momentary shock before they found themselves giggling, too. 

 

“By the way, Ed. We told the hospital Spike is your dad,” Jet said in a hushed tone under all the laughter. Ed nodded in understanding and looked excited.

 

“Papa Spike,” She exclaimed. A nurse came in and saw Ed smiling lovingly at her “Papa” and Spike looking at his daughter with relief. Jet and Faye were embracing and tears were being dried. The nurse smiled at the sight of such a lovely family, leaving to give them just a few more moments together before it was time to talk business again. Jet suddenly froze and let go of Faye.

 

“How are we going to pay the medical bills,” He asked Faye in a sidelong whisper.

 

“Just do what I did- don’t,” Faye advised.

 

“Hey guys, who’s watching the ship,” Edward asked, halting all the joyous chatter around her.

 

The BeBop took off after a quick inspection and got as far away from Venus as possible before everyone settled down. It was quiet again. Edward was allowed to have the whole couch to herself to aid her recovery, but she opted to let Ein share it with her. Faye got her an apple juice and some noodles before retreating to her room to think about the tear she saw fall down Spike’s cheek in the hospital room until it drove her mad. Jet left to tend to his bonsais, but came back to check on Ed so many times he might as well have just stayed in the room. Spike sat in the chair, flipping idly through TV channels before just turning the whole thing off.

 

“I’m gonna go to my room… Do you need anything, Ed?” It was still unsettling to see her bandaged up and not in a constant state of motion and noise-making. 

 

“Not a thing, Papa Spike,” She sang to him before turning her attention back to her computer and apple juice. Spike lingered for a moment before turning to walk away. “Hey, Spike,” Edward called inappropriately loud considering the short distance Spike had actually traveled. “You’re still sad. Is it because you care about Edward?” Spike said nothing. “Don’t worry, Papa Spike, Edward knows you would have taken the bullet if you knew I was behind you.” Spike tensed up and felt like he really had taken a bullet.

 

“You knew it was aimed at me the whole time?” Spike breathed, barely moving his mouth.

 

“Mm-hmm, but it’s okay. Edward thinks you need a break from taking bullets anyways. Papa Spike gets a vacation this time.” Edward went back to doing who knows what on her computer. Spike stood, frozen, speechless and guilty. 

 

“Take care of yourself, Edward,” Spike mumbled before heading to his room. “Lord knows I can’t.”

 

Edward watched him leave with a smile on her face, but it faded with the sound of his slow footsteps. The girl closed her computer and set it on the ground. Her face once again lost it’s glow of innocence as she gently touched the wound on her shoulder. She laid her head back into the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. She saw no colored animals, nor happy faces and stars. There was just a drab ceiling in a ship, and Edward was alone with her new ugly thoughts.


End file.
